The present invention relates to fish hook assemblies and, more specifically, to a latching, spring loaded, double-acting fish hook.
Three of the most common problems encountered with conventional fishing lures and hooks are weeds collecting on the hook, visibility of the hooks on ordinary lures, and failure of the hook to set firmly in the fish's mouth. Many forms of so-called "weedless" hooks have been devised to address the former problem, usually involving the addition of further hardware to prevent the end of the hook from picking up plants and other foreign matter as it is pulled through the water. Some types of lures are configured to conceal the hook or hooks, so as not to detract from the natural appearance of the lure, particularly where it is intended to simulate a form of animal life upon which fish feed. In order to provide a "self-setting" hook, assemblies have been provided with a pair of hooks movable under the influence of a spring to an open position in response to a fish striking the lure.
Of the latter type of hook assemblies, some are designed to snap open in response to a fish biting the hooks to release a connecting latch, examples of which are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 456,776, 1,283,174, 2,856,722 and 4,387,528. Other such hook assemblies spring open in response to a pull on the line by the fisherman after a fish strikes the hook, such as those of U.S. Pat. Nos. 44,368, 51,651, 712,497, 835,639, 2,209,300, 2,223,946, 2,608,786, 2,746,199, 2,982,047, 3,241,260, 3,986,289 and 4,186,509. Another type of snap-open hook assembly is that which opens in response to the fish moving a trigger to release a spring as it takes the lure, examples of this type of assembly being found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 684,211, 1,381,003 and 1,591,640.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved spring-loaded, snap-open fish hook assembly which is actuated by movement of a trigger arm to cause a pair of hooks to move in opposite directions to engage both the upper and lower parts the fish's mouth.
A further object is to provide a self-setting fish hook assembly of the foregoing type which also has the advantages of being weedless and lends itself to lure constructions wherein the hooks are well concealed.
Another object is to provide a fish hook assembly combining the features of a self-setting, weedless, concealed hook lure which is simple in operation, durable in use and economical in manufacture.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.